Ujjivan Microfinance raises Rs 45 Crore

Bangalore headquartered Ujjivan Financial Services Private Limited, a microfinance institution (MFI), has raised Rs 45 Crores (US$ 10 Million) by way of private placement of Non-Convertible Debentures (NCD). Standard Chartered Bank is the sole book runner and lead arranger for this issue.

Mr. Samit Ghosh, Managing Director, Ujjivan said, “This comes at the right time and will help diversify our source of funding and reduce our dependence on bank funding.” Ujjivan is aiming at benefitting from a lower cost of funding and diversified portfolio of debt funding with a greater capital market exposure, indicated Mrs. Sudha Suresh, Chief Financial Officer. The Non Convertible Debenture is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Complimenting Ujjivan for their quick response time and closing the transaction successfully, Mr. Joseph Silvanus, Regional Head-Development Organizations for South & South East Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, said, “This is another transaction in line with our philosophy of taking strong microfinance institutions to capital markets. We found a right partner in Ujjivan and successfully accomplished the transaction.”

After the first year of profitable operations in 2009-10, Ujjivan reduced loan interest rates by nearly 2-3% p.a. earlier this month. It is only the second MFI in the country to do so. “We are committed to our social mission and double bottom line, and must share our profitability in servicing the poor”, Mr. Ghosh added.

Around 75 per cent of the loans are used for business and the rest are used for varied purposes: housing, education, healthcare and emergencies. Ujjivan operates across India in 18 states with 303 branches serving over 750,000 poor urban customers.